Whatever You Call Me

by Leigh Fleming

  “Well, that may be our only glitch. We’re having a problem getting an ally on the committee.”

  “Excuse me? I thought we’d have George Cooper in our pocket by now.” Amelia rose up on her knees and burned an angry stare into Tom’s back.

  “Look, Amelia,” Tom turned, letting his eyes wander down her incredibly well-preserved body. “I think we need to come up with another strategy, just in case we can’t secure Senator Cooper’s support.”

  “I should have known better than to get mixed up with a bunch of rookies.”

  “I’m just saying that if we had a couple more committee members on board, the decision would be more solid.”

  “Amateurs!” Amelia huffed before she shuffled on her bended knees to the edge of the bed, where she grabbed Tom between the legs. “Here’s the strategy we’re going to use. You’re going to kick your boy’s ass in gear and get George Cooper and the rest of the Appropriations Committee to grant us the bid, or I will pull all future financing from him, ruin his and your careers in the process, and you can forget about any other money coming your way. Do we have an understanding?”

  Twenty-One

  “Kip, stop,” Annie implored, though she exerted little effort as Kip nibbled on her neck and pressed her firmly against him with a hand on her bottom. His mouth covered hers, stifling her laughter, luring her in for a tantalizing kiss. Her resolve washed away and she wrapped her arms around his neck, molding her body to his. After a few moments, Annie finally tore her lips away. “If you keep this up, we’ll end up back on that couch.”

  “Would that be so bad?” Kip looked down at her with laughter in his eyes. “It was a great way to start the week, as I recall.”

  “We can’t spend every Monday morning on that couch.”

  “Why not?”

  “Kip!” Annie scolded him, trying to wriggle out of his tight embrace.

  “Okay, you’re right. So let go of me if you don’t want to go there.”

  Annie smothered a giggle against his chest. “I’m trying.” Kip increased his grip on her, making it impossible to get away.

  “You don’t seem to be trying very hard, Ms. Cooper.”

  “Shhh! No one knows my real name.” Annie stopped wiggling and glared hard at Kip. “Please, it will just be too confusing, raise too many questions with the staff.”

  “I know, babe, I haven’t said anything. Your secret is safe.” Kip kissed her forehead and took a step back, but didn’t take his hands from around her waist. “We had a deal. It’s all good.”

  “Okay, then. Tom should be in here any minute. You need to go sit down…behind your desk…where he won’t see...” Annie raised her eyebrows and gazed pointedly below Kip’s belt.

  “Okay, Coach. I hear ya.” He patted her on the bottom and walked around his desk, dropping into his leather chair.

  “Right. It’s time to get to work.” Annie sat in the chair in front of Kip’s desk and crossed her legs. She watched Kip’s eyes focus on the rise of her skirt and she pulled down on the hem as best she could.

  “That’s not going to work, you know. I can still see your gorgeous legs,” he said, with smoldering eyes.

  “I’ll be sure to wear pants in the future.” Annie began rifling through a stack of papers on her lap, keeping her eyes cast downward, still feeling Kip’s searing gaze.

  “I missed you last night,” Kip whispered.

  “Stop!” Anne slammed the pile on her lap, but couldn’t hold back a huge grin. “We’re never going to get any work done.”

  “I mean it. I had trouble falling asleep. I missed that little purr thing you do.”

  “Kip.” Her response came out breathless. She wished he’d quit looking at her with such earnest desire. His sexy voice and smoky gaze were driving her crazy.

  “What are you doing tonight?”

  Before she could answer, Tom swung the door wide and entered with an iPad in one hand and a coffee mug in the other. “I hope you didn’t start without me.”

  “Oh, we definitely started,” Kip said, hiding his mischievous grin behind his folded hands.

  “Okay, then let’s start again.”

  “Wish we could,” Kip mumbled to himself. He sat up straight and wheeled his chair closer to the desk as he picked up a stapled packet of papers. “The floor is yours, Annie. Tell us about this poll.”

  “I just wanted to point out a few things that jumped out at me. Overall, you have a slight lead over your opponent, but there are some areas of concern which may need to be addressed. Currently you’re trailing in the fifty to sixty-five age group by ten points and in the sixty-six and older, you’re trailing by fifteen.”

  “Why do you suppose that is?” Kip asked.

  “Weird. You captured that demographic with no problem in the last election,” Tom said.

  “If you look on page three you’ll see the graph showing survey responses to several key issues. You’re fine in these two age groups when it comes to your stance on immigration, defense spending, healthcare, and the economy. The biggest drop is in regard to the pipeline. You’ll see a significant decline in support there.”

  “That can’t be right. Who designed this poll?” Tom asked.

  “I did,” Annie answered.

  Tom released a quick chuckle and settled back in his chair, draping his leg over his opposite knee. He straightened his tie and said, “How scientific could it have been?”

  “I’ll admit that it was put together rather quickly, but it’s accurate information. Our volunteers did a great job asking the questions and they got some very frank, unsolicited responses.”

  “Like what?” Kip asked, as he stood and began slowly pacing behind his desk.

  “Just what I told you over the weekend. They don’t want the pipeline running through their area because they’re afraid of an environmental disaster, afraid the pipe will leak.”

  “You two talked about this over the weekend? Without me. Since when are you conducting business over the weekend without my knowledge?” Tom slid to the edge of his seat, focusing his question to Kip. Annie was sitting to his right and felt as though he were blocking her out.

  “We weren’t conducting business. Just happened to talk about it briefly.”

  “What the hell is going on with you two?” Tom whispered through gritted teeth.

  Annie slumped in her chair as she watched the color leave Kip’s face.

  “Spill it,” Tom barked.

  “Annie and I are dating,” Kip blurted, tucking his hands deep in his pockets.

  “Shit, I should’ve known. Who else knows?” Tom looked pointedly at Kip.

  “No one. I didn’t think the staff needed to know,” Kip said.

  “Well, hell, they already think there’s something going on between you—the way you look at each other in staff meetings. You might as well come out with it.” Tom jumped to his feet and glared at Kip across the desk.

  “Fine. You can tell them.” Kip sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “In the meantime, what about this pipeline bill?”

  “I question Annie’s results. The official poll numbers are showing strong support for the pipeline.” Tom held up his tablet flashing a screen crowded with numbers. “I’ve got studies showing a low risk for environmental issues. I’m not sure where she came up with these bogus numbers. The company slated to do the work has a strong safety record.”

  “Have I seen that?” Kip asked.

  “Of course. I email everything to you as I get it,” Tom said.

  “Really? Does that include letters and petitions against the pipeline?”

  The room fell silent as Kip flattened his hands on the desk and leaned toward Tom, whose freckled complexion slowly grew to a deep pink from his neck to his cheeks. Tom pivoted and walked behind his chair, keeping his back to Kip.

  “I give you everything you need to see.”

  “I want to see everything,” Kip said.

  Tom turned and placed his hands on the back of the chair. “Yo
u know that’s impossible. That’s why you have a staff—to read your correspondence, do research, keep you abreast of what’s happening.”

  “Apparently, the staff hasn’t been doing its job.” Once again Kip’s and Tom’s eyes locked.

  “Um, Tom.” Annie cleared her throat as she rose from her chair. “Did I understand you correctly…someone’s already been chosen to build the pipeline?”

  “Wentworth Global,” Tom answered at the same time as Kip said, “The contractor hasn’t been determined.”

  Annie looked back and forth between Tom and Kip as if watching a tennis match. “Which is it?”

  Kip stopped pacing and answered with a sigh. “It hasn’t officially been determined—that’s up to Appropriations, but Wentworth is the lead candidate to receive the bid. They’ve built pipelines all over the world.”

  “And they have an outstanding record of quality and safety. I think it’s time for a PR campaign. Write a position paper and get it published in all the newspapers. Maybe hold a press conference touting the benefits of the bill. I don’t think your constituents know how important it will be to your district, or how safe,” Tom said.

  “I’m not sure they can be convinced. It’s personal with them,” Annie said, stepping in front of Tom. “All the PR in the world isn’t going to change their minds. If anything, it will make them angrier. The water is their livelihood, their way of life. If something happens, it will take years to recover.”

  “What the hell do you know about it? You’re an accountant, not a political strategist or an environmental scientist. Stick to what you know.”

  Annie glared at him. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see this is a bad idea.” She turned to Kip and said, “I’m sorry, Kip, but you know how Virgil feels and you know he’s not alone.”

  “Who the hell is Virgil? You’ve known this chick for a month and you’re going to let her call the shots?”

  Kip came around the desk and gripped Tom’s arm. “Come on, Tom. Annie has been vital to this campaign. She’s the one over there talking to the people. She knows what’s going on in their minds. Maybe I would have known too if you hadn’t kept those petitions from me. If you’d get your head out of your ass, you’d see this was a bad idea.”

  “Aw, fuck. You’re whipped. This wasn’t in the plans, bro.”

  Kip dropped Tom’s arm and ground his fist into his own hand, looking from Tom to Annie and back again. He wrapped his arm around Annie’s waist and said, “I think Tom and I need to have a talk alone.”

  He reached down and handed Annie her messenger bag and stack of papers. Taking her by the hand, he guided her to the door and planted a light kiss on her lips. “I’ll call you later.”

  Annie stood outside the door, stunned she’d been rushed out of the room so quickly. She looked around the reception area and noticed everyone looking at her. She shrugged her shoulders and said, “Kip and Tom have some things to talk about.”

  All eyes turned to the door when they heard Kip’s booming voice, though the thick wood muffled his words. She gave a sheepish grin to the lingering staff and walked into the empty conference room. As soon as she shut the door, she dropped her bag on the table and tugged her fingers through her hair. So she hadn’t misunderstood what she’d seen at the yacht party. Tom and Amelia were obviously working together to get the bid awarded to Wentworth Global. She was more confused now than before. Kip seemed surprised when she told him about the two of them. He insisted he was in control. If Kip was in charge, why did it seem like Tom was still calling all the shots? Even now, knowing how his constituents felt, Kip hadn’t stood up to Tom or defended her research. And, what did Tom mean by “the plan?”

  She settled in a chair, fired up her laptop, and typed “Wentworth Global” in the search box, needing to learn more about it. Several listings popped up on the screen and she began by tapping on Wentworth’s official website. Photos of construction sites and gleaming office towers dotted the homepage. In the upper right hand corner was a photo of Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth. Annie had a flashback to the cocktail party on their yacht where she observed Kip in a serious conversation with them. Exactly how much influence did the Wentworths have on this pipeline deal? Over Kip and Tom?

  Annie went back to the search list and tapped on an article about a Wentworth pipeline in Canada that had had a major leak in the first year of operation. They’d paid billions in lawsuits with several still pending. Annie printed out this article and any others she could find about Wentworth’s workmanship. She also printed out several articles about the effects of oil spills on wetlands. Finally, she perused photos of the Wentworths at various political fundraising events, all smiles in their glittery attire. Most of the photos showed one or both of them posing beside key political figures. Several showed them at parties hosted by other wealthy donors, and the last picture she found was of Amelia Wentworth arm-in-arm with John Wolfe. A sharp prickle crept down Annie’s spine. She stared at the beaming couple and felt renewed disgust for the seedy side of politics.

  Annie caught a glimpse of the clock on the wall and realized the morning was getting away from her. She needed to drive over to campaign headquarters to plot out locations for new election signs and organize several neighborhood canvases. She tapped the stack of information against the table and put it all in a manila envelope. On her way out of the office she placed it in Kip’s inter-office mail slot and glanced at his door, which remained closed. She concluded he must still be in with Tom and decided to tap out a text message to him rather than interrupt.

  Put some important info in your box. Call me.

  As soon as the door had shut behind Annie, Kip stalked back to Tom, who stood with his arms folded across his chest, leaning against his desk, shaking his head. “I can’t believe this. You’re actually having second thoughts about a bill that could have a major impact on your career and your wallet? What the hell is the matter with you?”

  “We should never have gotten involved with the Wentworths. Should have done more research to gauge what the people think,” Kip said. “I should’ve known what was going on with my own constituents.”

  “Shit, man, you know most voters don’t know a damn thing about what’s going on. All they care about is their next paycheck. This bill is going to help the folks in your area—you know that.”

  “Tom.” Kip stepped within inches of him, his brow creased in a V. “It’s a bad idea. I’m having second thoughts. I don’t want to sponsor this bill. Get it?”

  “I don’t think you have any choice. We’re in too deep.” Tom emphasized each word with a finger poke to Kip’s chest. “Piss off the Wentworths and you can kiss your career good-bye. Get it?”

  “We’re not in too deep. No money has changed hands—only a few dinners and trips. Unless you’ve promised Amelia something you shouldn’t have. They can find some other sucker to run the pipeline through his district. I want out.”

  “I won’t let you do that.”

  Kip grabbed Tom by the shirt, gathering a clump of necktie and cotton in his hand, and pulled him within inches of his face. “This isn’t college football, Tom. You’re not calling the plays anymore. I am. Either get on board or find another team.”

  Finally, Tom ended the stand-off. “You’ll be laughed right off the hill.” He pushed Kip’s hand off his shirt. “Picture the headlines: Pussy Whipped Congressman Can’t Handle it When the Going Gets Tough. Things haven’t been the same since you met Annie, bro.”

  “You were the one who brought her on board.”

  “Just to get close to her father—remember? And, speaking of which, when’s that going to happen?”

  “It doesn’t matter anymore. Stop and think about it: this is a bad bill. I don’t want to be associated with something with such potential for disaster.”

  “I thought you were smarter, had some guts.” Tom pushed past him and, as he reached the doorway, he left Kip with a parting shot. “Listen, bro, we’ve known each other a long time. The Kip I
know would never let some bitch in a tight skirt lead him around by the balls.”

  “Oh, sorry, bro, I didn’t realize we were talking about you and Amelia Wentworth. Who has who by the balls now?”

  Twenty-Two

  The heavy wooden door slammed shut, its sound reverberating throughout the hallowed office.

  “Damn it!” Kip slammed his fist into his left hand and then shook out the pain. He dropped into his leather desk chair and opened a lower drawer, pulling out the fifth of Jack Daniel’s he kept stashed inside. The burning elixir served as a celebratory libation as well as a stress-relieving tonic. Today, it would be used for the latter.

  Kip splashed a generous amount of amber liquid in his coffee cup and took a quick shot, feeling it burn into his chest. How the hell had he gotten himself into this mess? This wasn’t what he had signed up for when he decided to run for Congress. He stepped from behind his desk and picked up the team photo from his junior year—the year Maryland had won the league championship. In the front row, standing side-by-side like they had always been since the day they met at the first practice session their freshmen year, were him and Tom. The glass had not been replaced since the day Tom had thrown it to the floor in a burst of anger. Kip could count on one hand the number of times they had even raised their voices to one another, and now it seemed arguing was their only form of communication.

  He laid the picture face-down on the credenza and picked up a photo of his family. It was a shot taken for the membership directory at his church when he was in high school. His mom and dad were sitting front and center surrounded by him, Rob, and David from behind. Kip couldn’t remember the last time he’d crossed the threshold of his church—or any church for that matter—but he still held firm to the beliefs instilled in him, though lately he had wandered far from those values. He felt a crushing weight in his chest just thinking of what his dad would think of his choices—aspiring to promote his career with no regard for those it might hurt. It wasn’t just wanting to rise through the ranks of politics; he had become greedy. He had lost all sense of himself.